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Tropical expertise

Overview

Tropical nations account for approximately one-half of the world's population with more than 3.3 billion people living in the tropics. The estimated growth in wealth, population and high economic growth forecast for China, India and South East Asia over the next 20 years will drive demand for products, services and innovative research solutions creating new market opportunities for tropical expertise. The global tropical economy is projected to reach $US40 trillion by 2025.

Queensland is one of the few developed regions in the tropical world with unique biodiverse tropical ecosystems and a strong tropical research base. The State comprises 19 terrestrial and 17 marine bioregions and five world heritage sites.

North Queensland companies have the opportunity to supply tropical products and services to meet the environmental demands of tropical communities including the treatment and control of tropical diseases, the design and construction of tropical infrastructure and tropical agricultural practices. Businesses with this tropical expertise are located in the Cairns and Townsville regions of Queensland, as well as in Central and South East Queensland.

Tropical expertise refers to businesses developing new, or adapting existing products and services to meet the unique conditions of tropical environments. This specialised knowledge has been developed from living and working within tropical environments.

The Tropical expertise sector includes the sub-sectors of tropical health and medicine, tropical living and urban design, tropical environmental science and management, tropical primary industries and tropical education.

Tropical nations include India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Mexico, Central America, Caribbean Islands, top half of South America (Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela) northern portions of (Chile, Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil), Africa (Morocco, Tunisia), the Middle East (Yemen, parts of Saudi Arabia, Oman, UAE), and South East Asia.

Queensland's Tropical health capabilities

Tropical diseases account for 10 per cent of the global disease burden with at least one million deaths a year from malaria. Queensland has strong tropical research capabilities in disease prevention and control, public health, applied research in tropical infectious and chronic diseases, trauma injury, wound management, drug discovery, remote and indigenous health.

Infectious diseases of the tropics include dengue fever, malaria, African sleeping sickness, chagas and other tropical neglected diseases. The effects of climate change will increase the spread of tropical diseases and infections like cholera, typhoid and other related diseases.

Tropical nations are also threatened by emerging diseases such as SARS and HIV/AIDs. The impact of these diseases in tropical conditions is often different due to the increased contact between animals and humans, poorer sanitation and cultural differences. Queensland's expertise in emerging zoonoses (diseases transferable from animals to humans such as the avian influenza), is a specialty area with potential to deliver in both the human and animal health space.

Queensland researchers have developed strong links with the US (Washington State), Japanese and Korean organisations leading the world in cancer research.

Tropical health industry sub-sectors of potential for Queensland exporters include:

  • tropical and infectious disease therapies and infection control;
  • health education, management and training;
  • vaccines and natural products from tropical flora and fauna;
  • skin, wound and dermatology products;
  • diagnostics and pathology services;
  • remote health service delivery;
  • contract health services;
  • trauma management and disaster relief products and services;
  • zoonoses and pandemic surveillance and control;
  • biotechnology and associated technology transfer; and
  • clinical trials and specimen libraries for indigenous and islander populations and tropical location.

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Tropical living

Tropical cities are among the fastest growing urban environments in the world. An increased standard of living in tropical nations and a greater focus on the development of sustainable practices has created the demand for better tropical living environments.

North Queensland firms have considerable expertise in developing sustainable tropical built environments that are safe, durable and responsive to the tropical lifestyles of the people who live and work in these environments.

North Queensland researchers demonstrate world-class expertise in the development of materials that will deliver energy efficiencies and withstand the extreme weather events such as work undertaken by the Cyclone Testing Station at James Cook University.

The Queensland Government's HEAT initiative promotes and sells Queensland architectural and design services with a particular focus on environmental and tropical expertise.

Tropical infrastructure and living sub-sectors of potential for Queensland exporters include:

  • infrastructure design and construction;
  • ecotourism planning and construction;
  • Indigenous economic, and social solutions and traditional knowledge transfer;
  • urban living and architecture services: planning, design and construction;
  • sustainable housing and construction;
  • civil and structural engineering;
  • emergency and disaster management, recovery and renewal;
  • sustainable and renewable energy technology use; and
  • education and training.

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Tropical environment

Unique challenges are faced by tropical regions with the increasing pressures of climate change, air and water pollution, biodiversity loss, land degradation and deforestation. Queensland has the opportunity to export its tropical expertise in environmental products, services and research solutions to these regions.

Tropical agriculture

A primary concern of aid agencies is the 862 million undernourished people living in the world today. Biosecurity is a also key issue for tropical economies, with the introduction and establishment of exotic plant, animal and human diseases.

There is an opportunity for Queensland companies to export knowledge to tropical regions in developing food and fibre systems to alleviate food supply and related challenges. There is a shift away from traditional primary production systems and practices towards new technologies such as:

  • research and development into the application of algae to produce bio-fuels and plastics
  • algae meal which can be used to produce animal feedstock or fertilizer
  • the use of sugar cane to produce ethanol and
  • bagasse a by-product of sugar can be converted into dietary fibre added to processed food for health benefits.

Queensland tropical primary industry sub-sectors of potential for Queensland exporters include:

  • beef and crop production systems
  • sustainable agricultural production
  • horticulture
  • aquaculture and sustainable fisheries
  • forestry and plantation management
  • biosecurity
  • bioproducts and technology
  • agricultural biotechnology
  • molecular farming.

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Tropical research and development strengths

Queensland's research and development capabilities are recognised internationally. The State has developed world-class research institutes such as the Bio Sciences Precinct based at the University of Queensland St Lucia campus, the Tropical Science Precinct at James Cook University, the Da Vinci Precinct at the Brisbane Airport and the new Ecosciences and Health and Food Sciences Precincts in Brisbane.

Queensland Government initiatives

The Q-Tropics Strategy is an initiative under the Smart State Strategy: Queensland's Smart Future 2008-2012. The strategy supports $20 million in initiatives in growing, commercialising and exporting Queensland's tropical expertise industry.

An important component of the Q-Tropics Strategy is the Queensland Tropical Health Alliance. This alliance seeks to conduct new product development, disease surveillance and control for tropical disease. The alliance is based at James Cook University in Townsville and Cairns with additional facilities in Brisbane at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Griffith University and the Queensland University of Technology.

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Government

Industry

Funding programs

Research

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More information

For more information contact Trade and Investment Queensland.